GETTING ELECTED • • from Radio and Roosevelt • to Television and Reagan
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11 f¡wird Reinsch GETTING ELECTED • • From Radio and Roosevelt • to Television and Reagan :41 114: jI • 'N tjerrr - as e, _ J. Leonard Reinsch, at left, served both Lyndon B. Johnson, center, and John F. Kennedy, at right, during their terms as President of the United States. The great television debates that pushed Kennedy to the forefront in the 1960 elections were the brainchild of Leonard Reinsch. In recogni- tion of Reinsch's part in his successful election campaign, John Kennedy signed aphotograph of himself for Reinsch with 'To Leonard Reinsch, whose great debates made the great debates possible." "This is an exceptional book about the role of radio and television in national politics by a professional. Leonard Reinsch's inside observations tell what it takes to get elected." —FRANK STANTON, President Emeritus, CBS, Inc. 'An always intriguing... behind-the-rostrum look at getting the media message across, by the man who was director of radio and television for Democratic presidents and presiden- tial hopefuls from FDR to LBJ. .No matter where their political sympathies lie, readers are certain to be swept along by this frank and unapologetic reminiscence." —THE KIRKUS REVIEW ISBN 0-87052-500-X $18.95 (continued from the front flap) J. Leonard Reinsch Reinsch to help him defeat Richard Nixon, and it was the author who came up with the concept of the debates with Nixon, an idea that by all accounts was the single most important factor in GETTING Kennedy's victory. As no one else can, Leonard Reinsch tells the inside story of Democratic con- ELECTED ventions. The man who masterminded • the broadcast media coverage now tells it all, afascinating and revealing account From Radio and Roosevelt which no one interested in politics can af- to • ford to miss. A special friend of the Kennedy family, Television and Reagan Reinsch was always there to help in the triumphs and tragedies. He lived through the trauma of the 1968 convention, and he 'A book that every American makes the reader an invisible and utterly concerned about politics should fascinated observer of the great and tragic events. read." — PUBLISHERS WEEKLY From his unique vantage point, Reinsch examines all the conventions and elections In 1944 Leonard Reinsch became the radio up to and including 1984, and makes im- director of the Democratic National Con- portant suggestions about how America ventions and presidential campaigns on can improve the election process, as well radio—then on television—and held that as finance it, how to get out the vote, how position until 1969. He had the ear of four to organize primaries and caucuses, and presidents: Roosevelt, Truman, Kennedy how to organize the conventions. and Johnson whom he advised on how For those actively involved in the world best to communicate their ideas over the of politics, and for all candidates for all of- airwaves. After each election campaign fices, there is aspecial bonus: the author was over Reinsch preferred to stay out of offers invaluable advice on how to use the government and he returned to his first airwaves, and how not to. The high cost love: broadcasting. of television ads, juxtaposed with the op- For nearly ahalf century Leonard portunities of the new media, cable, VCR, Reinsch led adouble life in broadcasting satellites, cassettes, as well as, yes, radio, and politics. A sportscaster during the now present the candidates with new Depression, Reinsch sometimes worked challenges on the arduous path to getting alongside Ronald "Dutch" Reagan, then a elected. reporter for WHO in Des Moines, Iowa. For those for whom politics is aspec- Reinsch got to the White House first, tator sport, particularly engrossing in decades before Reagan. Reinsch was presidential election years, Getting Elected Roosevelt's radio man, and assigned to will be aringside seat at the show, with the campaign of Harry Truman in 1944 expert advice and background infor- while Roosevelt ran the war. When mation provided by one of the greats in Roosevelt died Reinsch became Harry the field of broadcasting. Truman's personal adviser on the broad- cast media. When John F. Kennedy was nominated HIPPOCRENE BOOKS, INC. by the Democrats in 1960 he turned to 171 Madison Avenue New York, NY 10016 (continued on the back flap) GETTING ELECTED From Radio and Roosevelt to Television and Reagan J. LEONARD REINSCH HIPPOCRENE BOOKS New York DEDICATION To my wife, Phyllis; my daughter, Penny, and my son, Jim, whose understanding made possible my taking extensive fam- ily leave to actively participate in national politics and to the thousands of unrecognized and unpaid campaign vol- unteers, whose untiring work and eternal enthusiasm in all elections make our political system work. Copyright C 1988 by J. Leonard Reinsch All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portion thereof in any form. For information, address: Hippocrene Books, Inc. 171 Madison Ave. New York, NY 10016 Second Printing Library of Congress Cataloging-in Publication Data Reinsch, J. Leonard. Getting elected :from radio and Roosevelt to television and Reagan /J. Leonard Reinsch. p. 337. Includes index. ISBN 0-87052-500-X 1. Presidents—United States—Election—History-20th century. 2. Television in politics—United States—History-20th century. 3. Radio in politics—United States—History-20th century. 4. United States—Politics and government-1933-1945. 5. United States—Politics and government-1945— I. Title. E176.1.R355 1988 324.973'09—dc19 87-28462 CIP Printed in the United States of America. Contents Acknowledgments ix Preamble xi Scene I: Stand By! Here's Radio CHAPTER 1 Chicago, Summer 1944 3 CHAPTER 2 Campaign 1944 12 CHAPTER 3 Spring 1945 25 CHAPTER 4 Philadelphia, Summer 1948 42 CHAPTER 5 Campaign 1948 52 Scene II: Fade Out Radio—Cut to Television CHAPTER 6 Chicago, Summer 1952 61 CHAPTER 7 Campaign 1952 78 CHAPTER 8 November 1952 87 CHAPTER 9 Chicago, Summer 1956 97 CHAPTER W Campaign 1956 106 CHAPTER ii January 1957 113 CHAPTER 12 Los Angeles, Summer 1960 118 CHAPTER 13 Campaign 1960 126 CHAPTER 14 Campaign Debates 1960 133 CHAPTER 15 Election 1960 153 CHAPTER 16 December 1960 163 CHAPTER 17 November 1963 184 CHAPTER 18 Atlantic City, Summer 1964 193 CHAPTER 19 Campaign 1964 203 CHAPTER 20 January 1965 208 CHAPTER 21 Chicago, Summer 1968 218 CHAPTER 22 Campaign 1968 234 CHAPTER 23 Campaigns and Elections 1972, 1976, 1980 242 CHAPTER 24 Primaries and Caucuses 1984 251 CHAPTER 25 San Francisco, Summer 1984 258 CHAPTER 26 Dallas, Summer 1984 266 CHAPTER 27 Campaign 1984 274 CHAPTER 28 Debates 1984 283 CHAPTER 29 Election 1984 291 Scene III: Looking Ahead CHAPTER 30 Campaign 1988 299 CHAPTER 31 Time for aChange 305 CHAPTER 32 Debates 316 CHAPTER 33 Money 319 CHAPTER 34 Cable, the VCR and Satellite 323 Postscript 328 Index 329 Illustrations following page 162. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Out of a luncheon with the late Sol Taishoff, publisher of Broadcasting, and General Ted Clifton, former military aide to Presidents Kennedy and Johnson, came the idea for this book. It was the continued urging of both Sol and Ted that put me to work reviewing my notes and refreshing my memory. From Frank Stanton, former president of CBS, came many helpful reminders. My national political activity started in 1944 when Iwas working for Governor James M. Cox, the 1920 Democratic presidential candidate. He had chosen as his running mate Franklin Delano Roosevelt. It was President Roosevelt's request to his friend Jim Cox, in the spring of 1944, to borrow his "chief radio executive" Leonard Reinsch that started me in national politics. Critical editing of the manuscript was provided by Jeff Prugh, former national correspondent of the Los Angeles Times, with suggestions by Harold Martin, former Saturday Evening Post writer. Untiring in her work, Verne Ramsaur deciphered my hand- writing and completed the typing. My wife, Phyllis, checked the manuscript with an eagle eye, happy and relieved that I might finally dispose of some of the files accumulated over many years of political activity. This book, Ihope, shows my appreciation of the oppor- tunities Ihave had to meet some great men and women, who devote themselves to the world of politics and government in ways we can admire and for which we should be grateful. My many years in the national political arena gave me an opportunity, too, to meet some of the finest and most dedicated journalists in both print and broadcasting. It is their untiring efforts that bring light and understanding to our political proc- esses. A word about campaigning in the future: Advances in tech- nology have given television greater power than ever. Effective use of the satellite, cable and VCR may provide the winning edge ix x /GETTING ELECTED in future elections. Properly used, television and radio will pro- duce better officeholders and astronger democratic government. Ihope you will find enjoyment in the stories about the great and not so great, of the events that seemed important at the time, and the events history has found important. J. Leonard Reinsch Marietta, Georgia January 1988. Preamble THE SCENE: DYCHE STADIUM on the Northwestern University campus, near Chicago. It's an autumn Saturday afternoon. America lies flat on her back, battered by the Great Depression. And the Northwestern Wildcats are playing football against the University of Iowa. That young fellow at the WLS microphone in Northwestern's play-by-play broadcasting booth is yours truly. 'Itnro booths away—in the press box high atop the stadium—is acontempo- rary Ibarely know. He's an articulate fellow with a shock of ruddy, brown hair, and he sits behind amicrophone inscribed "WHO," calling the game for the fans back home in Des Moines, Iowa.